1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to aircraft and in particular to systems and methods for controlling information displayed on the flight deck of an aircraft. Still more particularly, the present disclosure relates to a system and method for controlling various displays on the flight deck of an aircraft via operator interactions with touch screens on the flight deck of the aircraft.
2. Background
A pilot or other operator of an aircraft may use various displays on the flight deck of the aircraft to monitor and control the operation of various aircraft systems. Traditionally, numerous analog devices, such as mechanical gauges and dials, were used to display information on the flight deck of an aircraft. In more modern aircraft, information is provided to the pilot or other operator of the aircraft via digital electronic instrument displays. For example, information for various aircraft systems may be displayed on liquid crystal display devices, cathode ray tube display devices, or other similar display devices on the flight deck of an aircraft. For example, without limitation, such displays may include navigation displays, system displays, communication displays, information displays, flight management displays, checklist displays, other appropriate displays, or various combinations of displays.
A display provided by an engine-indicating and crew-alerting system, EICAS, is a particular example of a display that may be provided on the flight deck of an aircraft. An engine-indicating and crew-alerting system is an integrated system that may be used on aircraft to provide the aircraft crew with instrumentation for the aircraft engines and other systems on the aircraft. An engine-indicating and crew-alerting system typically includes instrumentation for various engine parameters, including, for example, revolutions per minute, temperature values, fuel flow and quantity, oil pressure, and the like. Typical other aircraft systems monitored by an engine-indicating and crew-alerting system are, for example, hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical, deicing, environmental, and control surface systems. While most of the display area on the flight deck of an aircraft may be used for navigation and orientation displays, one display or a section of a display typically is set aside specifically for an engine-indicating and crew-alerting system display.
Several display formats may be displayed on a multi-function display on the flight deck of an aircraft. A multi-function display may be used to display information to the operator of an aircraft in numerous configurable ways. For example, without limitation, a multi-function display may be configured to display a navigation route, moving map, weather information, airport information, other information, or various combinations of information all on the same display screen.
The display of information on the flight deck of an aircraft may be driven by a flight management system, other systems, or various combinations of systems on the aircraft. A flight management system is a specialized computer system that automates a wide variety of in-flight tasks, thereby reducing the workload of the aircraft flight crew.
The information displayed on the flight deck of an aircraft may be controlled to display flight information as needed. The ability to control the information displayed on the flight deck of an aircraft may simplify aircraft operation and navigation and may allow the aircraft operator to focus on the most pertinent information.
Currently, a pilot or other operator of an aircraft may control and interact with displays on the flight deck of the aircraft using various buttons, knobs, or other mechanical devices that may be provided near the various display devices on the flight deck. For example, a multi-function display on the flight deck of an aircraft may include a display screen surrounded by mechanical buttons that can be used to control the information that is displayed on the multi-function display.
Current systems and methods for displaying information on the flight deck of an aircraft may limit the ability of a pilot or other operator of the aircraft to control and interact with the information displayed. Current systems and methods for displaying information on the flight deck of an aircraft also may limit the ability to improve the display of information on the flight deck of an aircraft. Therefore, it would be desirable to have a method and apparatus that take into account at least some of the issues discussed above, as well as other possible issues.